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Very good article on the media's lynching of ben..**Updated 4/21, 2nd article added**

first, i apologize for starting another ben thread, but i feel this is a very good read that every steeler fan should read.

while i do not condone his behavior at all whatsoever, the media is lynching him with details in the police report that are from one side of the story and that is wrong. steeler fans are doing it as well. all these "details" are ACCUSATIONS, NOT FACT. it is POSSIBLE that they can be true but it is also possible that they are NOT TRUE. the fact remains, the da did not have enough evidence for probable cause for an arrest, let alone a trial. we all need to step back and realize that these details that are being released are accusations. just because someone makes an accusation does not make it a fact. i can accuse ben of raping me and somebody would believe it as ridiculous of a claim as it is.

The Media Lynching of Ben Roethlisberger
The media is lynching Roethlisberger. The reporting isn't factual; it's an ideological and contrived version of events. People are printing the stuff that supports their bias or that has shock value. I've seen reports that the girl was dragged into the room by the "bodyguard." I've seen reports that she tried to exit the building because he had exposed himself, but she ended up accidentally going into the bathroom. I've seen all sorts of irresponsible claims: "victim told him 'no.'" And that, "she immediately reported it." What is the goal -- to lynch Roethlisberger?

What if, instead, the story had said this:

CHRONOLOGY:

1. The DA indicated that both parties were exchanging sexual comments (that he would not repeat in public, because of their graphic nature). He did confirm, however, that, "There were conversations, actions -- and it was a two-way street, It was. When I say a two-way street -- him to her, her to him -- [it was] of a sexual nature." 7:35, DA-interview. PART-4.
)

7. Police staement: "Roethlisberger explained to Aurila that nothing had happened and that Roethlisberger was in the back with a girl and they were "messing around." Roethlsberger then explained that the girl slipped and he helped her up and then came back out. Aurila stated that he took "messing around" to mean" kissing, whatever. ... Roethlisberger indicated to Aurila that the girl had slipped and that he had helped her up and once Roethlisberger had helped her up he told the girl that they were not going to continue." ("During the conversation, Aurila described Roethlisberger's demeanor as angry and shocked that this [the accusation] was happening.")-- Police report, pg. 5 of 7, http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...sberger19.html

6. The accuser had a "superficial laceration" in the genital area, described by DA as consistent with having sex. (Or slipping while having it?). DA interview, PART-1 at 3:50.
)

8. THE ACCUSER NEVER REPORTED A RAPE. It was never the accuser who said it was a rape; it was her sorority sisters who felt she was too drunk to be fraternizing with him. So they acted based upon that judgment. THEY are the ones who alleged it. They told the police this. See DA news conference, PART-2, starts 2:42 and key part at about 3:10:
)

-- From the DA conference: "The Sorority Sisters were doing the talking [making the accusation]." DA interview, PART-2, starts 2:42 and key part at about 4:00:
)

When the officer on the spot said "I need to talk to the alleged victim, not you," he asked the alleged victim if Roethlisberger had raped her. She said:

-- When asked if the two had sex, she said "well, I'm not sure." DA interview, PART 2, starts 2:42, key point: about 4:20:
)

(B) She gave a statement that night to police that said, "They met us at the Brick and called us a 'tease.' .... His body guards took him back to the rooms in 1 bathroom. I said, 'I don't know if this is a good idea,' and he said, "it's ok.' He had sex with me ... ." See Police report: march 4th. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...isberger3.html

(C) At the hospital that night, she said "a boy kinda raped me." DA interview, PART-2 at 6:00.
)

(D). The next day, she offered this story: "I told him it wasn't okay, no, we don't need to do this, and I proceeded to get up and try to leave. I went to the first door I saw, which happened to be a bathroom. He followed me into the bathroom, and shut the door behind him. I still said no, this is not okay. And he then had sex with me. He said it was okay" DA interview, PART-2 5:25.
)

[Note several things. 1. This suggested they started having sex OUTSIDE the bathroom. This contradicts the eyewitness claims that she was led to the bathroom by an escort.** 2. It also selectively fixes earlier statements. It fixes equivocation while retaining other things as accurate (e.g., "he said it was okay."). In other words, what helps her is accurate, what doesn't is fixed].

**Further support of this "problem." DA said there is no evidence of sex being had outside of the bathroom. No one in the VIP area of any entourage or any body guard saw anything like that. In fact, one body guard said she asked to use the restroom and was escorted back there and sat at a stool. (He didn't even see Ben go back there). See: DA CONFERENCE, PART-3, starting at 8:30.
)

(E) On March 17th, through her attorney, she says she doesn't want to go forward with it. [You will note that the vast majority of civil plaintiffs want criminal cases going on concurrently. Any lawyer will tell you why a civil plaintiff would want a criminal case going forward concurrently. One must assume that her reluctance here indicates one of two things: (a) the civil matter was already on a quick course of settlement; or (b) depositions and other matters may have rendered the next-day statement-of-events problematic. It is true that media frenzy and privacy are good reasons not to pursue things. But is this true if you have been wronged and can receive a major damage award? Or is it true if you have a drunken encounter and regret it? How many people get raped by millionaires and don't want to pursue even a civil case? And how many want to pursue one without pursuing a criminal case (the former helps the latter) -- [again, ask anylawyer].

9. Both the DA and the police believe not only that there was not enough proof to win their case, but that THERE WAS NOT EVEN PROBABLE CAUSE TO ARREST. Think about that. Law enforcement officials think the charge wasn't even worthy of an arrest. See DA News Conference, PART-1 12:00.
)

Will anyone out there listen? People have every right to indict Roethlisberger for being an irresponsible frat boy. They have every reason to be disgusted with things like buying shots for girls and wanting a gigolo lifestyle. Or with having drunken sex. But they DON'T have ANY right to be disgusted with body guards dragging people back to rooms, with sex against a person's will, with "she reported it quickly," and that, "he exposed himself and she ran away, accidentally to a bathroom."

Where are you guys on this? They are MURDERING him. At worst, he's guilty of being a meathead and a playboy. Can you do nothing to make sure that, if people abuse him, it is for the FACTUAL THINGS and not a public lynching?

not my work lol. i just happened to find the link to this in the comment boards from somebody else on espn.com. but it brings up excellent points. greg giannotti on 93.7 the fan also feels that people are jumping to conclusions on the details being released, despite that it's one side of the story and are accusations, not fact. not to mention that everyone who believes these details proves that rape occured needs to realize the da LOOKED AT ALL THESE DETAILS. HE HAD NOTHING FOR EVEN PROBABLE CAUSE

I've been saying all this from the friggin beginning. I am not going to lynch Ben, Im not going to sacrifice him to the wolves because some drunk ***, underage, altered id, bar happing college chick decided she wanted her 15 minutes of fame at the expense of the reputation of another. It's total crap, total BS, and I don't care what statements are in those police reports, none of it was proven, nobody can say what happened, and there was more than enough time for those girls to all make up this crap because they shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. These are all statements from drunk girls in a bar who talked to cops and doctors when they were still drunk and then had to figure out if what they said was all true after the fact. They didn't pursue charges because they have no case and they finally realized it's all total crap. Maybe there was a settlement, maybe not, regardless, stop hanging the man for accusations nobody can prove. Nobody in their right mind actually thinks that Willie Colon and 2 off duty cops knowingly dragged a woman into a public bathroom and then blocked the doors...I mean sit back and think about that for minute, because if you do, you'll see it's total crap.

The media is ridiculous on this and it makes me sick to see so many people ready to get rid of him on accounts that never, and will never, be proven!

I've been saying all this from the friggin beginning. I am not going to lynch Ben, Im not going to sacrifice him to the wolves because some drunk ***, underage, altered id, bar happing college chick decided she wanted her 15 minutes of fame at the expense of the reputation of another. It's total crap, total BS, and I don't care what statements are in those police reports, none of it was proven, nobody can say what happened, and there was more than enough time for those girls to all make up this crap because they shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. These are all statements from drunk girls in a bar who talked to cops and doctors when they were still drunk and then had to figure out if what they said was all true after the fact. They didn't pursue charges because they have no case and they finally realized it's all total crap. Maybe there was a settlement, maybe not, regardless, stop hanging the man for accusations nobody can prove.

The media is ridiculous on this and it makes me sick to see so many people ready to get rid of him on accounts that never, and will never, be proven!

agreed. and like i said, i do not condone his conduct at all whatsoever. i do not like how he has been reckless and stupid off the field. but this article needs to be read by everyone. too many people, steeler fans and haters alike, are taking these accusations as fact when there is nothing to prove that a rape occurred. this girl was checked out from head to toe at the hospital. there was no evidence to prove a rape occurred and there sure as hell was no evidence to support this ridiculously asinine accusation of the bodyguards "dragging her and forcefully holding her against her will". her clothes weren't torn, stretched, etc and there was nothing else that indicated any physical struggle. common sense people. hey, ben raped me. (SARCASM) do you believe that too? lol

I've been saying all this from the friggin beginning. I am not going to lynch Ben, Im not going to sacrifice him to the wolves because some drunk ***, underage, altered id, bar happing college chick decided she wanted her 15 minutes of fame at the expense of the reputation of another. It's total crap, total BS, and I don't care what statements are in those police reports, none of it was proven, nobody can say what happened, and there was more than enough time for those girls to all make up this crap because they shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. These are all statements from drunk girls in a bar who talked to cops and doctors when they were still drunk and then had to figure out if what they said was all true after the fact. They didn't pursue charges because they have no case and they finally realized it's all total crap. Maybe there was a settlement, maybe not, regardless, stop hanging the man for accusations nobody can prove. Nobody in their right mind actually thinks that Willie Colon and 2 off duty cops knowingly dragged a woman into a public bathroom and then blocked the doors...I mean sit back and think about that for minute, because if you do, you'll see it's total crap.

The media is ridiculous on this and it makes me sick to see so many people ready to get rid of him on accounts that never, and will never, be proven!

That's what I've been saying as well. Innocent until proven guilty. How can you jump on this when he was never charged for anything..not even that..well there's been close to no evidence ever brought against him? Just let it go.